How To Save The World: A Big Four Adventure
by Tulipunainen
Summary: Superhero AU Big Four crossover Astrid comes out of retirement when Hiccup is injured while on a routine mission, Jack is forced to confront demons from his past while Rapunzel struggles to protect the future and Merida wrestles with the new world she's been pushed into. Hiccstrid, Frostbite, FlynnXRapunzel


**I do not own any rights to How to Train Your Dragon, Tangled, Rise of the Guardians or Brave. All works are owned by Dreamworks and Disney.**

**A/N: Hello everyone, this is my foray into the Big Four fandom, this is a fun little crossover piece about superheroes and drama. It's rated M because it delves into some pretty dark and emotional stuff, also there's some pretty nasty language peppered throughout. Warnings done with, please enjoy.**

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Astrid Hofferson sat at her kitchen table, quietly peeling an apple, her fingers tense on the knife, her brows creased with worry.  
It had been three days. The run was only supposed to be an overnight. She should have gone with them, should have been there as backup, should have ignored the worry in those green eyes and just soldiered on like she always had.

A sharp knock woke her from her brooding and the small blade slipped, nicking the tip of her finger.  
"Shit." Astrid breathed, setting down the apple and the knife and popping the wounded digit into her mouth, the bleeding would stop soon enough. Nervously the blond woman stalked over to the front door, knocking twice and waiting.  
Three sharp raps answered her and she opened the door swiftly.

"Jack." She greeted curtly, swinging the door open for the lanky man to sweep into her home. Jack slipped the large dark hood off his head, exposing his pale face and startling white hair, a grin tugged at his lips.

"Hey thanks Astrid, listen I kn-"

"Cut the crap, Frost." Astrid snapped "Where is he?" She crossed her arms haughtily, inadvertently smearing blood on her shirt.

"Hey you uh, got a little um, on your shirt." He waved his hand vaguely it his own chest. Astrid remembered her bloody finger, but refused to be distracted by looking down.

"Where is he? He was supposed to be home two days ago, and now you're here and he's not." Astrid narrowed her stormy blue eyes dangerously and Jack swallowed the lump in his throat and pasted the easy grin back on his face.

"Relax, Hiccup's at the base." Jack held his hands up, the universal sign for 'calm down'. Astrid Hofferson was not a lady you tangoed with lightly.

"Why is he at the base?" Astrid cocked an eyebrow, taking a step toward the man. Jack laughed nervously and dodged around her, retreating further into the house. Jack Frost had a way of moving, so light on his feet, like he was floating, moved along by the whims of the breeze. It unnerved Astrid on a number of levels.

"There was…an accident." Jack admitted slowly, rubbing the back of his neck and gazing at the baseboard. "He's fine, alive, conscious, coherent." Jack explained in a rush after catching sight of the look on the woman's face. "He just…needs some time to…recover."

Astrid strode forward, closing the distance between them in two long paces and seized his coat with both hands.  
"Take me." She seethed, their noses almost touching.

"Astrid!" Jack gasped, scandalized. "I never thought you harbored these feelings for me." Astrid shook him hard.

"Take. Me. To. The. Base." She ground out between clenched teeth. "Now." She added, for further clarity of what exactly she needed from Jack Frost.

Jack tried to take a careful step back to get away from the angry woman with a death grip on his coat.  
"Listen A, I don't know if that's the most stellar idea, you've been kinda like semi-retired since that all went down with-"

"I am aware of my own status, thank you very much. I don't need you to remind me, I need you to escort me to the base, because you have a clearance that I don't anymore, and I need you take me to see Hiccup." Astrid shoved him against the wall, she knew she scared him. He tried to hide it, but he knew what she was capable of, she'd helped him train after all.

"Astrid, let me go please." Jack said calmly. She was getting out of control, even for Astrid, he had to try to rein the situation in before things escalated and there would be some real explaining to do. "I'll take you, okay? Just let go."  
Astrid took a deep breath and calmed herself, releasing her cramping hands from Jack's coat, she had the sense to looked a bit ashamed.  
"Sorry about your coat." She mumbled, looking away. Jack glanced at the blood and shrugged, he had others.

"You gonna change that?" He eyed the bright red blood smudge on her light blue top.

"No time." She answered briefly, donning a black pullover from the closet and storming from the house, waiting for Jack to exit so she could lock the door.

"Last chance." He offered her, pausing in the door frame. The irritated look on her face was enough for him.

Jack strutted out to the car, an inconspicuous old station wagon and opened the door for her, Astrid settled in with a huff.  
"Why did you even come here?" She asked, once he was in the driver's seat.  
"Hiccup insisted, as soon as I got him back, I had to see you, let you know that he was okay. 'She worries so.'" Jack mocked, glancing at her and batting his eyes for affect. Her answer was a light punch in the arm.

"Jack," Astrid said softly over the hushed noise of the classical music Jack kept his radio tuned to, she waited for him to glance at her, making him understand the seriousness of her tone. "What happened?"

Jack heaved a sigh, drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, and rolled down the old manual window before answering her.  
"He tells the story better than I do."

"Gimme a hint then."

"Listen Astrid, I don't really know what to say to you. It was a routine run, and I messed up. Hiccup saved me, and now he's paying for it. I know that's what you're supposed to do for your partners, and I woulda done it for him in a heartbeat, you know I would!" Jack's voice hitched a little, "But I wish he hadn't done it for me."

Astrid gently reached over and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm sorry I got angry at you. I was scared; these last few days have been Hel for me. Not knowing. So, I'm sorry. You have to understand though, we all know the life we'll have when we sign up for this. Hiccup did what he did for you, as his partner, just as he did for me, and you would do for him. Believe me, I know Hiccup, and he is self-sacrificing to a fault. He's almost as bad as you are." She finished with a grin, and Jack smiled wistfully back at her.

"Astrid?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really happy to see you again." Astrid laughed and felt some of the tension leave her. If Jack could be this carefree about it, then Hiccup's situation couldn't be too dire.

"I missed you too Jack." And she meant it.

When the electrified fence came into view Astrid felt nervous all over again. She hadn't been to the base in months, her departure hadn't been very neat or tidy, and she couldn't help but feel like she wouldn't be welcomed back very readily. But Hiccup was in there, and she needed to see him, see what had kept him so long. She wouldn't let her mind go down that road.

Jack pulled up to the gates and leaned out the window, pressing his hand to the scanner.

"Jackson Frost." He stated clearly.

"Who's yer passenger?" The heavy Scottish voice asked from the other end.

"Astrid Hofferson." Jack couldn't hold back his grin, hoping the blonde woman beside him couldn't see it. There was a long moment of static before the gates swung open.

"Hello to you too, Gobber." Astrid grumbled, slouching into her seat. Jack just smiled and patted her leg encouragingly.

The drive from the gates to the base took far too long for Astrid's liking, and when Jack finally drove through the hidden entrance in the side if the mountain, Astrid was itching to run. Either toward the heart of the base, or away, she hadn't decided, but she couldn't sit still. Desperately unclasping her seat belt, Astrid wiggled in her seat.

"Whoa, whoa, hey, hands and feet inside the vehicle until the ride has come to a complete stop." Jack said, extending an arm to try and keep her in her seat. "We're almost there, just hold on." Jack had worked with Astrid long enough to know that when she got jittery, things went sideways really fast. "Astrid!" He barked. He saw the familiar tightness in the skin over her hands that meant trouble. "I swear to fucking God, Astrid, if you wreck my car again." He let the threat hang open ended, knowing she wasn't listening.

Jack squealed into the parking spot and bailed out as fast as he could, hearing the passenger side door open and see the blonde blur of Astrid go streaking by.

"No!" He yelled, almost in a scolding tone and quickly launched himself at her, taking her down onto the concrete of the parking garage. He pressed her body against his, rolling to take the impact, feeling the hard surface tearing the skin on his arm. "You're the one who demanded I take you here, you're here now, no backing out."

Astrid struggled out of his hold, but he kept her confined, focusing he left a familiar tingle in the palm of his hand, and the ice crystals grew around her wrists, becoming handcuffs. Astrid was strong for sure, but Jack was a force of nature. Finally she settled and Jack released his death grip on her.

He looked back at the station wagon and went limp with exhaustion and resignation.

"You took the door off." He muttered, glumly. "I've wrecked so many cars that's all North'll give me. And now that's wrecked too."

Astrid got up and offered her hand to Jack, who took the offer, and with a massive effort, brought himself into a standing position.

Astrid was lucky, Astrid Hofferson never tired, she was gifted with the power to direct the charges of the world around her, making her muscles strong as steel, her endurance legendary, and any item she touched could become hard as diamonds, with only a thought.

"Now listen, I don't want to bring you in like a prisoner, but you made me bring you all this way, Gobber's probably told Hiccup you're here, and really, after seeing you today, I think you need this." The concern in his blue eyes won her over and she squashed the last bit of fear in her gut.

"Okay." She answered, with a simple twist of her wrists the frozen handcuffs shattered and tinkled to the ground.

Jack grumbled and lead her from the garage into the base itself.

The breeze from outside faded as they walked further down the hall, into the heart of the mountain. Astrid listened to the soft 'tip tap's of her sneakered feet and tried to ignore the sense of dread that was mounting once again.

At the end of the passageway a small figure walked by. Then the figure passed without incident, Astrid relaxed. When they peeked back around the corner, Astrid swore her stomach had taken up residence in her shoes.

"That's not.." She whispered to Jack, unable to finish.

"Yup." Jack answered, cautiously wrapping his hand around her wrist, they both knew restraining her was useless, but he hoped the suggestion would be enough to keep her from bolting again.

"Jack, I can't see her, not after what I said to her. Why wasn't I given the power to disappear?"

"Trust me, been on the wrong side of invisibility, not as fun as you might think." Jack muttered.

The small girl ran down the hallway and Astrid closed her eyes and braced herself.

"Astrid!" The call went up just before the impact of the small body ran into her, Astrid felt the girl's rail thin arms wrap around her neck. "You're back!" It was a hug. Astrid had not expected a hug.

Astrid stared at Jack over the tufts of brown hair in her face, her blue eyes wide with shock and bewilderment dominating her expression.

Jack grinned and made hugging motions with his arms and tried not to laugh. Astrid wrapped her arms around the slight girl, burying her face in the soft sweet smelling hair.

"Hey 'Punz." Astrid sighed.

"I'm so happy to see you." Rapunzel released her hug and looked up at Astrid, taking in her appearance. "You look good." She carefully ran her fingers over the blonde's face. "That's a relief."

Astrid smiled, Rapunzel was almost a head shorter than her, and with her willowy figure and childlike enthusiasm, it was easy to forget that the other woman was significantly older than her.

"Then again there's not really any reason for you to be coming back all banged up, now that you're not on active duty."

"Yeah," Astrid muttered. "I'm just here to see Hiccup. But just for the sake of tradition, I did cut my finger." She laughed, holding up the scabbed digit.

Rapunzel smiled and gently cradled Astrid's hand. Where most of them had powers used to hurt, Rapunzel was a healer. She began humming a soft tune that everyone knew, and the soft golden glow began to surround her, almost like it was seeping out of her skin.

Rapunzel smiled, watching Astrid's skin knit together, undoing the damage caused by the small knife.

"I missed you." Rapunzel smiled.

"I missed you too, but really I'm just here to see Hiccup. How is he anyway? Jack wouldn't tell me anything." Astrid said, starting her trudge down the passage again.

"Well...um you see" Rapunzel started nervously.

"Look as long as he's alive and all in one piece." Astrid started to laugh, but she was deafened by the awkward silence of her companions. "What happened?" She demanded, walking faster, struggling not to start running.

"I'm sorry Astrid!" Rapunzel cried, scurrying to keep up with the taller woman. "I tried to heal him, but I can't do anything because of the Night Fury."

Astrid nodded, she was well aware of the Night Fury's 'invisibility'. The unholy offspring of lightning and Death itself, the mythical dragon had left them so rattled after its discovery that they checked under their beds for the boogeyman for months. The dragon had the ability to cancel out all superhuman powers, except Hiccup's. Hiccup was a telepath, the catch was he could only communicate with animals. Since Hiccup and the dragon had bonded, powers stopped working on Hiccup as well, which had its upsides as well as its downsides.

"Just take me to him." Astrid ground out. Rapunzel gently took the other woman's hand and quickly scurried down to the living quarters.

Rapunzel rapped on the door sharply and waited uneasily. Jack opened his mouth to say something, but the tiny brunette shook her head subtly and he quickly closed his mouth.

The door swung open, revealing a huge hulking shadowed mass. Astrid gulped and attempted to square her shoulders and keep her head high.

"Stoick." She greeted him, doing a remarkable job of keeping the fear out of her voice.

"Astrid?" The man in the doorway seemed surprised to see her, and he stepped into the soft light of the corridor. Astrid gripped Rapunzel's hand tighter and frantically grabbed at Jack's coat sleeve, while still keeping her face impassive.

The fuzzy hallway light illuminated the man's face, revealing his broad smile, partially obscured by bushy red facial hair.

"It's good to see you again!" He cried, clapping a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"I...what?" Astrid muttered, looking to her companions for any kind of hint. Rapunzel tried to hide her grin behind a hand, Jack didn't even bother trying to hide it. "What?" She repeated.

"Astrid?" The call was weak and made her heart jump into her throat.

"Hiccup!" She called into the room trying to dodge around Stoick's large arm. He awkwardly shuffled out of the way as the blonde woman ran into the room, her two companions following.

"What is going on here?" Astrid demanded, storming into the room, when her eyes fell on Hiccup she stilled. He sat on his bed, smiling serenely, familiar notebook in his hands and his leg propped up on a small mountain of pillows. His leg looked odd somehow. Short and blunted. "What happened to your leg? Your foot is gone!"

He had the sense to look ashamed at least.

"I...fell...in a fire." He mumbled meekly.

"You did WHAT?" Astrid shrieked. Hiccup held his hands up in surrender, and Astrid wheeled on Jack. "You!" She stalked toward him, finger pointed accusingly. "This is your fault!" She shrieked.

"Astrid! Stop it!" Hiccup shouted as the Night Fury burst from the shadows, placing himself between Jack and Astrid, lips pulled back away from his sharp teeth, growling ferociously. Astrid backed off and huffed haughtily.

"Alright, we should let Hiccup rest." Stoick said quietly.

"No, Dad, it's okay. Astrid and I, we need to talk." Hiccup said, looking at the blonde woman standing in front of him. "Take Jack and Rapunzel, I'll talk to you later guys." He nodded at them and Stoick quietly ushered them from the room, the door closing with a soft click.

The Night Fury growled once more at Astrid, the woman bared her teeth in return and the great dragon relaxed onto its haunches and gave her a broad gummy smile, nuzzling her arm affectionately.

"Hey, boy." She smiled, scratching him under the chin.

"Astrid…" Hiccup started softly. "I'm sorry." Astrid turned her attention back to the man on the bed.

"Why is everyone so happy to see me" She asked quietly. "I thought, you made me think, they were all angry with me."

"I'm sorry. I exaggerated, used your own fears against you, because I was worried about what coming back would do to you. I just wanted to keep you safe, encourage your retirement, because I thought you would be safer if you were living a more mundane life." He looked ashamed.

"Hiccup…" Astrid sighed. "You got restless didn't you? At home with me for the last five months." He nodded. "Me too. It's been eating at me, then you went back to the job, and I had to stay home alone. Then look what happened to you." She gestured to his bandaged leg. "You were born into this, your family has done this for generations, I chose this. I love this life and I'm good at it, and I will never be happy with a mundane life. If you let me come with you, this probably wouldn't have happened. Jack's a good guy, but we've been doing this since we were kids, me and you, we're partners. Stop trying to replace me. Let me come back, I can't stay home anymore. I'm ready to come back; and let Jack go back to his squad, he's finally starting to fit in with them." She looked imploringly at Hiccup who sighed and nodded his head with a small smile, holding out a hand to her. Astrid took his hand and he squeezed comfortingly. She squeezed back and ran her thumb lightly over his knuckles.

"Welcome back." Hiccup grinned.

"Good to be back." Astrid answered.

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**A/N: That was a pretty long chapter. I couldn't find a good place to end it before that. Merida will show up eventually, and we will see more of the guardians and other side characters. I look big casts. Let me know what you thought. :)**

**~Tulip**


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